CONCURRENCE OF ANAPHYLAXIS AND ACUTE HEPARIN-INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIAIN A PATIENT WITH HEPARIN-INDUCED ANTIBODIES

We report the occurrence of acute heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a patient with anaphylaxis that began immediately after an intravenous bolus dose of unfractionated heparin. This case report is the first t o document the concurrence of these 2 reactions to heparin. An abrupt fall in platelet count was documented immediately after the anaphylact ic response. Study results for antibodies characteristic of heparin-in duced thrombocytopenia were positive in 2 assays: serotonin release as say and heparin platelet factor 4 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. T he patient's antibody was exclusively immunoglobulin G. Any explanatio n for the relationship between the antibody response observed and the histamine release remains speculative.